We Are Brothers (BTS)
by JamesHarryJames
Summary: They share the same dream, and they know they must take the same path to achieve it. When this childish dream turns out to be more effort than ever imagined, he must lean on those there with him. His brothers who will always stand beside him. CHARACTERS: OC, Jeon Jungkook, Jung Hoseok, Min Yoongi, Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, BTS Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Starvation
1. Chapter 1: Can You Turn Off Your Phone

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

Name: Won Changyoung  
Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie  
Age: 13  
Nationality: Korean  
Height: 172 cm (5'8")  
Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)

Looks like Jangjun from Golden Child

Chapter 1: Can You Turn Off Your Phone

As discreetly as possible, Changyoung scrolled through his phone, eyes flitting over the dimmed screen. There was another new girl group in the news again. Many articles covered their debut, and he couldn't help but feel a rising excitement. Those girls must have completed their dreams with debuting. How amazing!

"Mr. Won, can you turn off your phone?" the teacher asked. Ears red, Changyoung turned his phone off and put it back in his pocket. "That's the third class in a row. Once more, and your parents will be called. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

From the corner of his eye, the boy saw his friend Jungkook snickering behind his hand. What a supportive friend.

After that boring class got out, it was time for P.E. They got ready, and all the boys headed to the gym. The teacher, who was already there, led them in some typical stretches and warm-ups before saying the students could do whatever they wanted for the rest of the period. The only requirement was that it be physical activity.

"Hey, Changyoung, over here!" Jungkook called. The boy went over to Jungkook's little corner of the gym. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, we could try that dance Hobi-hyung showed us yesterday. You know, the one we've been practicing," Changyoung suggested.

Jungkook laughed nervously. "Well, I don't want to embarrass myself in front of the other students."

The same idea struck Changyoung very suddenly as he looked around at the other students. They were playing sports and games already while they still had no idea what to do. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe... Do you want to just run laps then?" Jungkook nodded, so that's what they settled on.

Personally, Changyoung was glad he agreed to run. He had more endurance than Jungkook did, but, had they done something strength-related, Jungkook would've knocked him out of the park. He was a little stronger than the average kid, but Jungkook was a beast. Honestly, he had to be the strongest fourteen-year-old Changyoung had ever met!

They were able to maintain a run for awhile around the court, but, as they ran past a group of boys, Changyoung felt a yank on the back of his shirt. He was roughly stopped and dropped, falling on the floor. There were laughs all around while Jungkook helped him back up. When he was standing again, Changyoung was facing none other than the school bully, Jisung.

"Wow, didn't know you could fall that easily, Won," Jisung teased. The boys around him laughed. "You and your gay boyfriend running through the flowers again?"

Jungkook and Changyoung both shrunk back. "Not m'boyfriend," the latter muttered.

"Sorry what was that?" Jisung said. "Couldn't hear you over all your boyfriend's crying."

Changyoung looked over and saw Jungkook's eyes watering, lip quivering. As scared as Changyoung was, he was mad at this guy for talking about him and Jungkook like that. He stepped forward and looked into the bully's cold eyes. "Sorry what was that? Couldn't hear you over all that testosterone running away from you. You're just jealous I've got a friend I don't have to pay for."

His eyes widened, and Changyoung saw a fist being suddenly raised. He didn't have time to react before he was punched straight in the face. Pain flooded his nose as red flowed down his face. Clapping a hand to it to try and stop the bleeding, he winced.

"Changyoung!" Jungkook yelled.

Just then the teacher came over and took a look at the hurt boy. "To the nurse, Won. Escort him, Jeon. And you, Mr. Han, will have a talk with me."

Jungkook and Changyoung left quickly for the nurse's office, not wanting to be there any longer. "I'm sorry, Changyoung," Jungkook said. "I should've pushed him or something."

"It's fine, Kook-hyung. My nose isn't broken or anything," the other assured him. "At least the teacher will punish him."

"Yeah, and you did burn him pretty badly too. Nice job." Changyoung laughed a little, glad Jungkook wasn't too down about it.

The nurse took care of Changyoung quickly, ultimately saying he'd just have to wait until it stopped bleeding. Luckily nothing was really wrong, or Jungkook would've felt even guiltier. Also lucky for the boys, gym was the last class of the day. Once the nurse made sure Changyoung was fine, they left the office and got to leave early.

They were just walking out the school doors when Jungkook started talking. "Hey, what were you looking at on your phone anyway?" he asked.

Changyoung sighed, eyes focused out on the horizon. "Did you know EXID just debuted?" he asked.

"No, did they really?" Changyoung nodded. "So you were looking at K-Pop again, huh? Honestly, you're still on that?"

"Come on, hyung. I know you think about it too. Your singing is better than a lot of idols out there, and my rap isn't half bad either. We've been practicing dance non-stop with Hobi-hyung. He's already been accepted as a trainee. It's not impossible."

"Changyoung, you know just as well as I do, no matter how good we are, no company would take us. Not to mention, our parents are against it."

Jungkook took a chance look at Changyoung as they were stuck by the stoplight. His eyes were bright with desperation, and his shoulders were slumped. "You haven't even tried talking about it yet! Why are you so scared of this?"

Jungkook avoided eye contact as they crossed the street. "Hobi-hyung is a trainee, and... he seems so tired all the time. He talks a lot about how hard it is, and... It just makes me think it's not really worth it."

Changyoung's face fell. "Well, I'm scared too." He paused, not sure what else to say. "But, Kookie-hyung, this is what we both want, right?"

A fond smile ghosted over Jungkook's lips. "It's all I've ever dreamed about."

"Then we have to at least try. How about this? We'll ask Hobi-hyung, and, if he says we should, we'll audition for a company, okay?"

It took Jungkook a minute, but finally he nodded. "All right. But we'll both audition for the same company, right?"

"Course. Why would I want to do it without you?"

 **A/N: There's the first chapter. Just so you know, I uploaded this story on Wattpad as well under the username MinSugaKooky. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2: Does That Make Sense

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

Name: Won Changyoung  
Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie  
Age: 13  
Nationality: Korean  
Height: 172 cm (5'8")  
Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)

Chapter 2: Does That Make Sense

They let themselves tire out at dance practice first. Hoseok had become their personal instructor. The boys were glad they had found someone so talented and friendly. He was far better than the both of them, and Jungkook wished one day to be a great a dancer as him. Changyoung on the other hand looked up to him for his rapping skills. Hoseok was the only rapper he knew personally and could ask for advice. Not that he ever would. He and Jungkook were quite content pretending, for the time being, that they had no interest in being idols.

After practice, they were all sat on the floor, sipping from water and getting their breath back. Hoseok smiled at the two younger boys. "That was really good, guys," he said. "You remembered all the moves from yesterday perfectly." Changyoung gave Jungkook a look as if to say, I told you so. "What? Is something wrong?" he asked.

Jungkook wouldn't look up at his hyung, and Changyoung could hardly meet his eyes. "Hyung and I were talking, and... we really want to be idols." Hoseok's eyes widened. "We wanted to know what you think."

Hoseok was quiet for a moment, and Changyoung let his eyes frantically search the other's face for some clear answer. There was nothing understandable though. "I'm only a trainee, and it's an unbelievable amount of work. There's no time to do anything but practice vocals, dance, and diet. The managers are already talking about having me move into some trainee dorm to make things a little easier. I don't even have time to see my family most days anymore. I hate it, but... Dancing makes me excited, and practicing my rap always shows me new methods and styles. I hate it, but I love it... Does that make sense to you?"

Surprisingly, Jungkook nodded. "Yeah, it's, like, it's so hard, but you can't imagine yourself doing anything else."

Hoseok nodded in agreement. "It's exactly like that... But for you guys? I've seen you dance, and you're definitely trainee material. You're both plenty handsome for it. I don't know anything beyond that. I've never heard you sing or rap... I don't think you should worry too much about that. If this is really your dream, then you can't give it up. You have to go for it."

Changyoung finally looked straight at Hoseok, a nervous smile on his face. "Thank you, hyung."

"Yeah, thanks so much, hyung," Jungkook added, standing and stretching. He helped Changyoung and Hoseok up.

"It's no problem, guys, really. You know... my company is actually holding the Hit It auditions right now. You could try for them," Hoseok suggested.

"Really? That's great," Jungkook said. "What's the name?"

"BigHit Entertainment. They're kind of small, but that's Homme's company. There are only a handful of other trainees there right now, but no one's been put in a group yet. I can give you a ride there if you want."

"When are the auditions?" Jungkook asked.

"Saturday, so two days from now."

Changyoung looked to Jungkook, eyebrows raised. The older of the two stepped forward. "Well, Changyoung and I should be going. It's getting late. Thanks for everything, hyung," he said.

The three said their goodbyes as Changyoung and Jungkook grabbed their school bags and went back on the road home. "So... We're going to audition?" Changyoung asked. "Just like that?"

"Yeah, and if we get in, we'll be in the same company as Hobi-hyung. That'd be fun. I wonder if there are many vocalists."

"I just hope there aren't many good rappers to compete with," Changyoung said under his breath. "No way they'd want me if they already have great rappers."

"Oh crap!" Jungkook froze where he was, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Now I have to talk to my parents about it."

Changyoung groaned. "Oh me too. I hope they say yes. I don't know what I'd do if they wouldn't let me go."

The rest of the walk was silent. As they came up on the park, they decided it was time to split ways. Jungkook hugged his younger friend. "Hey, good luck on talking with your parents. Let me know how it goes later tonight."

"You too, Kookie-hyung."

And they walked off in different directions home now. When Changyoung got home, he heard his mother in the kitchen. "Oh, Changyoung's home! Come in here, sweetie. I can't leave the pot."

Dropping his bag by the door, Changyoung padded over to his mom. Her thin black hair was tied back to keep it from interfering with the cooking. Her tired face lifted as she set eyes on her son. "Oh, come here and give me a hug, would you?"

"I'm all sweaty," Changyoung warned, even though he stepped closer.

"And I'm your eomma, so you hug me when I say so," she teased.

Changyoung laughed and hugged his mother from behind, resting his head on her shoulder. He watched the rhythmic stirring of the pot, steadily growing hungrier. "Yes, eomma. Did you have a good day?" he asked.

"Yes, yes, but Suyoung was crying for you all day. She said, 'Where's oppa? Oppa should be here to play with me.' How was your day at school? Did dancing go well?" she asked. "Set the table, would you?"

Changyoung began doing as his mother asked. "School was average. Dance practice went well. Hobi-hyung says Kook-hyung and I are doing well. Actually... there's something I want to talk to you and dad about."

"Changyoung, if you have a girlfriend, I promise you, you'll never be allowed to leave your room."

Changyoung chuckled, setting the last dish on the table. His mother came over and set the steaming pot of food down. "No, eomma. I don't have a girlfriend."

"Good. And you better not get one. Go and get Suyoung. I'll get your father."

When the family was all sat around the table, they dug into the meal happily. Sometime into the meal with minimal conversation, Changyoung's dad turned to him. "So, son, your mother tells me you have something you'd like to share."

Changyoung nods. "Yes, sir. At dance practice today, Jungkook-hyung and I talked with Hobi-hyung, who's a K-Pop trainee. He told us that his company is holding open auditions for trainees this weekend. I want to audition."

His father set his utensils down. Little Suyoung cheered, but his mother only looked cautiously at her husband. "You want to be a K-Pop idol? Like those ones on TV you're always watching?" he asked. Changyoung nodded. "The ones that wear makeup and act dirty for cameras? Or the ones that rap about drugs and alcohol?"

Changyoung swallowed. "Appa... I don't want to be exactly like them. I want to rap to inspire people and share what I know."

His father didn't speak for a solid few minutes, and Changyoung was terrified. "All right. I'll let you audition, son. But if you don't get in, I don't want you going back. This is your one chance. Make it count."

Changyoung nodded. "Yes, sir. May I be excused please?"

His father nodded, so Changyoung cleaned up his dishes, thanked his mom for the meal, and left to his room. The second he sat down, he let out a sigh and pulled out his phone. He sent off a quick text to Jungkook and then went to get started on homework, not that he'd be able to focus. He wasn't able to hear his phone going off on the bed behind him.

 _To: Kookie_  
 _They said yes_

 _From: Kookie_  
 _Really?! My parents said yes too! How hard was it to convince them?_


	3. Chapter 3: Rather Than Worrying, Just Go

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

Name: Won Changyoung  
Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie  
Age: 13  
Nationality: Korean  
Height: 172 cm (5'8")  
Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)

Chapter 3: Rather Than Worrying, Just Go

The following day, Changyoung spent every moment thinking about the audition and practicing rap in his head. In the few moments where it was acceptable, he would whisper the lyrics so he wouldn't forget. Anytime he looked over at Jungkook, he noticed he was doing the same.

After school, they both went to the studio. Hoseok wasn't there like usual as Fridays were his evaluation days. Still, there was no way the boys could miss practice today. They both had dances to prepare if they had any hopes of being accepted.

A solid two hours were spent dancing, critiquing, adjusting, and practicing more. Neither was sure he was ready. Jungkook was scared. He was sure he'd mess up tomorrow in front of managers and employees. Changyoung sincerely hoped one of them would make it. He didn't care if it was him or Jungkook, but if they both failed, then they'd both been wrong about their skill this whole time.

Friday night they practiced together, and Changyoung spent the night at Jungkook's house since they ended up working so late into the night. Finally, when they decided they were about to damage their vocal chords, they went to sleep.

It was seven in the morning when they woke up and got ready. They were to meet Hoseok at the studio at eight, with the auditions at nine. They made the familiar walk to the studio, where they found Hoseok waiting for them. Then the torturous drive began, Hoseok could practically hear the nerves.

"Are you excited?" he asked.

"Excited?" Jungkook asked weakly. "Uh, yeah. More nervous actually."

Changyoung nodded, and Hoseok's eyes softened. "Hey, everyone's nervous beforehand, but when you start performing, all the nerves should go away. Just get lost in the music. That's what happened when I auditioned a few months ago."

Changyoung still couldn't quite meet his eyes, his gaze cast out on the images flying past the window.

Pulling into the parking lot, the younger boys finally saw what the company looked like. It was this large building that had no special markings on the outside to indicate it was a K-Pop company. Regardless, Hoseok led them in to the front desk, where a woman was ready to help.

"Uh, hello, excuse me," Changyoung said, bowing. "We're here for the trainee auditions."

The lady smiled. "Of course. May I see your ID?" Changyoung and Jungkook showed her their student ID cards. "Good. Just fill out the entry form. You'll have to take it with you when you go to see the judges. When you're done, you can go through the door behind me. The contestants will all wait there for further instructions."

She handed over a packet to the two boys. They take a seat in the lobby and got started on filling it out while Hoseok just waited. When they were done, they did as instructed. Hoseok, however, wasn't allowed to follow since he wasn't competing. He gave both boys a quick hug.

"You've got nothing to be nervous about," he said.

"Really? Because I can think of a lot of things that can make me nervous right now," Jungkook said.

"Ok, I get that. How about this instead? Rather than worrying, just go."

He pat them on the back and sent them on their way.

The room of contestants wasn't too full. There were maybe eight others there, all boys. Many were rapping or singing to themselves as a last minute preparation. Changyoung noticed that they were definitely the youngest there. The two took a seat next to each other; but, frankly, they were too tired to practice anymore, so they didn't.

After a little bit of waiting, a man came into the room. Everyone got up and bowed to him. "Hello," they all said.

"Yes, hello, everyone. Pass these all down." He took out a box of microphones that the boys began passing down. "Now, you're all here because you want to become a trainee under BigHit Entertainment. Not everyone will be accepted, and we're not obligated to pick a certain number of you either. That means you have to perform your best. When your name is called, you'll go through this door and give your form to the judges. We'll be sending the results via a letter in the mail."

Then he left. Not a single boy went back to practicing. Everyone sat back down, tapping their thighs, looking around the room, licking their lips. The first boy to be called was taller than most everyone there. When he walked, his broad shoulders seemed to make more space for himself. Changyoung couldn't remember his name, but he looked like an intimidating boy to train with. When he came back, he seemed even more nervous. The others only saw him for another few moments before he left without a word.

Another boy came and went. Then it was Jungkook's turn. Changyoung gave him a good pat on the arm for good luck. "Don't worry, Kook-hyung. Just go."

Jungkook nodded and went in. The next ten minutes Changyoung waited. Finally Jungkook came back out, slightly sweaty and disoriented. He went straight over to his friend, who hugged him. "How'd it go?" he asked quietly.

Jungkook smiled a bit and let out a little laugh. "I have no idea. My singing was good, but... they didn't react to my dance at all. But it's over now, so there's no need to worry."

Changyoung nodded as his friend went back to the lobby where Hoseok was still waiting. After the next three contestants, it was Changyoung's turn. He walked into the dance room to see a table of a handful of judges. Quickly he bowed.

"Hello." He gave the man in the middle the entry form and stepped back to the middle of the room. The man opened the packet and began reading silently.

The only female judge smiled at him. "Hello. You're very young. What's your name?"

"Ah, my name is Changyoung."

"Changyoung. Hello, there. You seem nervous. Have you been looking forward to this audition for awhile?" She asked.

Changyoung laughed nervously and smiled. "Actually, no. I only learned about it a couple days ago."

Her eyes widened. "Really? How did you come to be here then?"

"My friend who is a trainee here is also my dance instructor. He told me and my hyung that we should audition. It's our dream to make it as idols."

"And who's this hyung? Is he the boy that already auditioned today? Did you practice with him?"

"Yes, Jeon Jungkook. We have been friends for a few years. We've been practicing dance together for a few months; but he's a vocalist, and I'm a rapper. We don't practice our vocal styles together at all."

The man in the middle finally spoke up. "Changyoung, tell me, you only just found out about the audition and immediately decided to do it. I want to know, what would becoming a trainee do for you?"

Changyoung gripped his microphone a bit looser, eyes falling to the ground. He had an uncertain smile on his face as he met the man's gaze again. "This is my only dream. I can't imagine myself doing anything but performing. My father told me that this is my one chance to become an idol. If I don't make it, he won't let me try again... If I don't make it... I can't achieve my dream."

The woman nodded. "Then you must perform your best for us now. You may begin now."

Changyoung cleared his throat, letting his grip on the mic tighten again, and then he began.

About ten minutes later, he walked out of the room to the lobby to see Jungkook and Hoseok waiting. They both sprang up and hugged him. "You look so stunned," Hoseok said. "How'd it go?"

Changyoung shook his head. "I can't remember a word I said... But, when I was done, the judges were smiling."

Hoseok grinned as Jungkook bear-hugged him even harder. "Wow, ChangChang definitely did well!" the boy said. "Judges are supposed to never smile so they intimidate everyone."

Changyoung felt himself start to smile. Then he laughed. "Hyung, you're such a kid."

"Yeah? You're a year younger than me," he defended. "If we were in a boy band, you'd be the maknae anyway."

Changyoung laughed with Hoseok.

If they were in a boy band...


	4. Chapter 4: Reflection

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

Name: Won Changyoung  
Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie  
Age: 13  
Nationality: Korean  
Height: 172 cm (5'8")  
Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)

Chapter 4: Reflection

The following week was full of anticipation for both Jungkook and Changyoung. They continued their days as normal, but after school, each checked his mail box four days in a row only for it to be empty. Finally, on Friday, Changyoung checked again to find a white envelope. The sender's address said exactly what he thought it did.

Heart beating quickly, he ran inside. "It's here!" he called. "The letter's here!"

Suyoung came running first. "You're gonna be an idol! Oppa's gonna be an idol!" she yelled.

His mom and dad came in then, the former laughing. "We don't know yet, honey. The letter will tell him if he's made it," she said gently.

His dad put a hand on his shoulder. "Go ahead. Open it."

With shaky fingers, Changyoung opened the envelope, eyes scanning the words at superhuman speeds. "To Won Changyoung, we are pleased to inform you... pleased to inform you that you've been accepted at BigHit Entertainment! I made it! I got in!"

Suyoung jumped up and down, cheering for big brother. Tears sprang to his mom's eyes as he hugged her. "Oh, my little boy's going to be an idol."

Changyoung would deny that there was any crying on his end. He would, however, admit that he came very close to it the second his dad said, "Good job, son."

Changyoung laughed, wiping at his eyes. "Thank you, appa."

"Be sure to read through the rest of that closely though," he warned. "Make sure you know what you're getting into."

Changyoung nodded. "Yes, sir."

Just then, his phone in his back pocket went off. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. "It's Kookie-hyung. He must've just got his letter too."

His mom smiled. "Oh talk to him. Be ready in ten minutes for dinner."

Changyoung smiled, thanked his mother, and went into the next room while answering the call.

"Hyung, I just—"

"I got accepted!"

"Yes! That's amazing! I got accepted too!"

"Oh, man. This is the best. My mom even started crying. Did you tell your family?"

"Yeah, I opened it with them. I think Suyoung was the happiest."

Jungkook laughed. "Probably. We should meet tomorrow and talk about this. Maybe we can get with Hobi-hyung too."

"Yeah? I'll have to text him later. It's almost time for dinner right now."

"Then I'll let you go. Eat well, ChangChang. We've earned it!"

"Yes, you eat well too, Kook-hyung. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

"See ya."

Changyoung hung up the phone with a pleased smile on his face. He spun around in his chair a few times before Suyoung came running into his room. "Oppa, it's time for dinner. It's your favorite tonight!"

Changyoung's eyes widened. "Spicy chicken?" Suyoung nodded. "Then we better get going. We need to make sure there's food left for us."

Changyoung went to the dining room with his little sister. He set the table, the familiar smell of spicy chicken filling the air. The family sat down to eat, and conversation was the most lively it had been in awhile.

That night, Changyoung read the rest of the letter. According to the letter, he would work with a group of other trainees seven days a week. At the end of a three month period, the staff and Hitman Bang himself would decide who was worth keeping. There was also a meeting he was supposed to attend with his parents on Sunday. It was all thrilling.

That night Changyoung went to sleep for once without nerves taking over.

The next day, Jungkook and Changyoung were able to convince Hobi-hyung to meet up with them outside of the studio for once, and he brought with him another trainee friend. They met up at the skatepark where the boys met the new friend for the first time.

He was tall and lanky, but he looked like he was built for hip hop. He wore black shades, dark clothes, and had black hair too. Despite all this, he greeted the boys with a genuine smile. "What's up? My name's Rap Monster." He laughed. "Just kidding. That's my stage name. You can call me Namjoon."

"Hi," Changyoung greeted. "I'm Changyoung."

"And I'm Jungkook. So... you're Hobi-hyung's friend?" he asked.

They all sat around on a bench, watching all the skaters practice their tricks. For all of them it was a much needed break and kind of ironic to watch someone else practice. "Yeah, we both auditioned at the same time. We talked, and it turned out we're the same age. We're both rappers too, and we just bonded from them on."

"Are there lots of rappers in the company?" Changyoung asked. Honestly, why hadn't he heard of a single vocalist?

"Well there aren't a lot of us to start with. Not counting however many made it from this audition, there's two other rappers and one vocalist. They've been there for a long time though, so I don't know if they'll debut. Why? Are you the rapper?"

Jungkook nodded. "He raps and I sing. Hobi-hyung has been teaching us dance too."

"Makes sense." Namjoon smiled, looking at Hoseok. "He's the best dancer out of all of the trainees. He tried teaching me when we first started out, but I'm really bad at dancing."

Hoseok laughed. "I would say you're wrong, but it's true. Namjoon used to not be able to do simple four count moves. You are a little better now. Maybe."

They all laughed. "Does that mean it's your dream to be an idol too?" Jungkook asked.

Namjoon shifted, letting his hands rest loosely on his lap. "I don't think it's necessarily my dream to be an idol. I want to produce my own songs so people can see them, like I'm putting my story and my experiences in song form, you know? The music is a reflection of me. Being an idol, I think, is just the best way to do that."

Changyoung couldn't agree more. They spent some more time hanging out until lunch when they decided to call it a day. The two younger boys ate together at Changyoung's house and played with Suyoung for a little while. Then Jungkook went home, and somehow it was night again.

Changyoung went to sleep with a full heart but a shiver down his spine. Tomorrow would be the meeting with the company.


	5. Chapter 5: Tomorrow

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

Name: Won Changyoung  
Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie  
Age: 13  
Nationality: Korean  
Height: 172 cm (5'8")  
Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)

Chapter 5: Tomorrow

Sunday's meeting had arrived. Changyoung and his parents were in an office room, sitting across from Bang Shihyuk, the CEO of BigHit. "Thanks for coming today," Bang said with a smile. "Just to start, let me tell you what being a trainee will basically entail. Changyoung will have to move into the dorms with the other trainees. His time will be strictly regulated. Managers and instructors are entirely in charge of what he does with his time, and most of it will be spent on dancing and vocals. The food he eats will also be monitored and distributed very strictly. Because of all this time put in, he'll have to postpone his schooling for a later date."

Changyoung's dad looked closely at the man in front of him. "I'd like to see a contract for this please," he said.

Bang placed a packet of paper and a pen in front of him. "Being a trainee doesn't guarantee him a debut, but the contract is effective for six months no matter what," he said as the man started scanning the contract closely. "Most expenses will be payed for by us, the company, including food and rent. Move-in time is tomorrow. I'll give you some time to think over the decision."

Bang got up and left the office, so the family could think in privacy. "I don't like this," his father said immediately. "You're essentially going to be a slave to the company for six months."

Changyoung's mother looked to her husband, putting a hand on his arm. "Honey, if this is what Changyoung wants, you have to let him. He already did the work of auditioning. This is our way of saying we support him doing even more."

The man looked over at his son, who had been silent the whole time. He quirked an eyebrow. "You're absolutely sure this is what you want? That's six months with no mom and dad, no baby sister, no friends, no break. Can you do that?"

Changyoung nodded. "I have to. It's the only way to go up."

His dad sighed as Bang reentered the room, going back behind his desk. "Have you come to a decision?" he asked.

"Yes. We'll sign."

Changyoung watched the pen closely as it scratched the signature of his mom, dad, and Mr. CEO onto the paper. Whatever else was said in the meeting he didn't hear. His eyes didn't leave that paper.

On their way out, Changyoung accidentally bumped into another boy in the doorway. "Oh, I'm sorry," the boy said loudly. "Didn't see you there." He let out a little laugh, scratching the back of his head.

Changyoung glanced at the kid that had a kind of boxy smile. "It's no problem." He bowed out of respect and then went on his way. Weird kid.

When Changyoung got home, he got a call from Jungkook.

"Hey, Kookie-hyung. What's up?"

"Dude, we just got back from the meeting. I'm super nervous about tomorrow. Are you?"

"Yeah, but it's too late now. The contract's already signed."

"Same here. Can I come and hang?"

"Yeah, sure, you can help me pack too."

"Cool. See you in fifteen."

When Jungkook got there, he and Changyoung were pretty quiet. They tossed various things into the younger's suitcase without looking. Finally, after some time, Jungkook spoke up.

"I hope the other trainees are nice."

Changyoung sat down on his bed with a flop. "And what if they aren't? It's not like we can quit just because people don't like us. We're stuck there."

Jungkook sat down next to him. "You're not having second-thoughts, are you?"

"No, I'm not. This is still definitely what I want to do. It's just... I don't know. I really don't know, but it's like all of a sudden I'm worried about everything," Changyoung said quietly.

Jungkook side-hugged him, letting the younger rest his head on his shoulder. "I'm worried too, but this is our chance, ChangChang. We have to make it count no matter what."

Changyoung was quiet for awhile. "You should go home," he said finally. "Today's the last day with your family for a long time. You should spend it with them."

Frowning, Jungkook stood. "Yeah, you're right. All right. I'll see you tomorrow then, I guess. See ya."

"Bye, hyung."

Once Jungkook had gone, Suyoung came running into her big brother's room. There were tears in her eyes, and Changyoung immediately picked her up, setting her on the bed next to him. "What's wrong, princess?" he asked softly, wiping at her cheeks.

"Appa said you're leaving!" she yelled. "I don't want big brother to leave!"

Changyoung hugged her close as their parents came into his bedroom too. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie," his mom said. "We had to explain to her somehow that you'd be... You'd be... leaving."

For just a minute, Changyoung looked up to see his mom's puffy, red eyes. With a little smile, he got up and hugged her as well. "Eomma, don't cry," he told her. "I'm not leaving forever. Before you know it, I'll be back, and I'll be an idol."

His dad laughed, adding himself to the hug. "Confidence like that is what'll keep you going, son," he said. Soon little Suyoung joined too. She was smiling again. "And it's what'll keep us sane while you're away."

Changyoung was glad his back was facing his dad as the boy sniffe, wiping his face against the sleeve of his shirt.

Finally, he broke up the hug, shooing the others out of his room. "All right. All right. I have packing to do. Everyone, out." When they all got out, he picked up a randome shirt and tossed it into the suitcase with a sigh. "I swear I'll come back. As an idol or not at all. I won't break my promise, eomma."


	6. Chapter 6: Where Did You Come From

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

 **Name: Won Changyoung**

 **Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie**

 **Age: 13**

 **Nationality: Korean**

 **Height: 172 cm (5'8")**

 **Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)**

Chapter 6: Where Did You Come From

Saying goodbyes was one of the hardest things Changyoung had to do. He hugged his parents for a solid few minutes. His mom wasn't trying to hide her tears, and even his dad's eyes were watering a little. But they let him go somehow.

Changyoung met Jungkook at the bus stop, and they took the ride together to the headquarters. Jungkook could hardly sit still the whole time, but the boys didn't talk about it. They didn't talk at all actually. Several times Changyoung looked over at his friend, the words on the tip of his tongue, but that's as far as those words got.

When they made it, it looked like the other trainees were already there. The first thing Changyoung noticed was that he and Jungkook were definitely the youngest. The oldest there couldn't be much older than twenty. The boys took a seat next to each other, where they also found Hoseok and Namjoon.

"You guys are here too?" Jungkook asked.

Hoseok nodded. "Manager-nim gathered all the old trainees too. Everyone's here," he said.

"This is the most trainees I've ever seen," Namjoon said. "PD-nim must really want to debut something now."

Soon a staff came in. All the boys stood and bowed, greeting him. "Yes, yes, everyone take a seat," the man said. Everyone did as asked, and he went to the head of the long table. "I'm Steven. I'll be your manager in this process and will be judging at the monthly evaluations. If you're new to trainee life, let me explain how this works. You'll follow a set schedule of training every day. Once a month, you'll give a group, duet, or solo dance and vocal performance before me, the choreographer, the vocal instructors, and Bang PD-nim. If we decided you pass, you can keep training with the others. If not, you'll be put in a different group to train for a longer time. At the end of the three months. The goal of this is to see who remains to be put in a boy band together."

Steven gave them some more basic rules, but Changyoung let his eyes wander and his fingers start tapping silently on his leg. When it was over, he got up with the others, took his stuff, and filed out to the van that would take them to the dorms. In the van, he got stuck in between Jungkook and a boy he didn't know. The other kid couldn't have been all that much older than him, but he looked more prepared than Changyoung. He seemed like he knew lots of dancing.

The boy greeted Changyoung with a reluctant smile. "Uh, hi, I'm Park Jimin," he said.

"Won Changyoung," the other said. "Do you have a stage name?"

Jimin shook his head. "No, I just go by Jimin. Do you?"

Changyoung laughed a little. "My family thinks I should have one, but I don't think I really need one... I'm a rapper. What are you?"

"Oh I'm a vocalist."

And the conversation just sort of dropped. Several times Jimin looked over to Changyoung, the words on the tip of his tongue, but that's as far as those words went.

When they reached the dorm, Steven told them to be up and ready at five the next morning. With that thought lingering in the back of their heads, the boys all went inside to find a disappointment of a dorm.

It was a small apartment with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a little kitchen, and no furniture in the entry room. One long metal rod with many hangers extended from the doorway along the wall to the bathroom that must've been for the trainees' clothes. That was the only thing in the entry room. There was no food or cooking tools in the kitchen. The only things in the first bedroom were three bunk beds. The same thing was in the second bedroom.

With sluggish and reluctant steps, the boys unpacked their clothes, hanging up some stuff. Everything that couldn't be hung up was taken to the bunk bed of the trainee. The boys were excited to at least pick their own bed, but, when Changyoung entered the bedroom, he found that the beds all had name tags on them. It appeared the rappers were all in one room while the vocalists were in another. Changyoung was fated to sleep on the bunk below a boy named Supreme Boi.

When the boy came over, he was of course older than Changyoung, but not taller. He had a bright smile and a handshake ready. "Hey, I'm Supreme Boi, but you can call me Donghyuk."

Changyoung shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Changyoung."

The rest of the day was spent getting to know one another. Changyoung learned quickly he was the only rapper that didn't have a stage name. They were all sat in a circle on the ground of the entry room, twelve of them.

"So who's youngest?" a boy named Seokjin asked. He was a vocalist.

Changyoung raised his hand. "That would be me. I'm thirteen."

One of the rappers shook his head. Changyoung vaguely remembered his name being Sugar or something like that. "I didn't know they actually took trainees that young," he muttered. "Not much you can know at that stage."

Ears growing a little red as the others laughed, Changyoung looked at him closely. "Yeah? And where did you come from that makes you so much better, Mr. Sugar-hyung?"

He frowned, eyes focusing in on Changyoung's face. The teen suddenly found other things he'd much rather look at. "It's Suga. And I came from the underground like most of the other rappers did. We've all got years of experience over you. Think about that when you're struggling with your three line rap."

Then Suga got up and left. The others all ooed at Changyoung, who could only scratch at his neck. Namjoon laughed at him, patting his back. "Hey, Yoongi-hyung is known for not being all that nice. He's probably the most serious about becoming a rapper. He was in the underground for such a long time, and resorting to being an idol is like a last-ditch effort for him."

"What's so terrible about being a K-Pop idol?" a boy named V or Taehyung asked.

"For a lot of rappers, the pop image doesn't stay true with what the rapper wants," Donghyuk said. "Plus, if you're an idol, you're not in control of what music you're singing."

Another rapper, Hyosang (Kidoh), spoke up. "That's why many rappers already left. It used to look like Bang PD-nim was going to make a pure rap group; but then he changed his mind, so most of the original trainees left."

Namjoon let his head fall to look at his lap. A vocalist named Heonkyun looked at him quickly. "What about vocalists?" he asked.

Namjoon looked back up. "As long as I've been here, there's never been any vocalists."

The last trainee to speak was vocalist Kwangju. "Then PD-nim must really want to make a boy band. That makes this much more stressful."

The others all nodded. Changyoung was the first to leave the room and go to bed. When he looked, he saw that Yoongi was lying in bed, writing on a notepad by the light of his phone. Changyoung said nothing to him as he crawled into bed.


	7. Chapter 7: Lie

**Disclaimer: This storyline is entirely fictional although it includes real people and characters.**

 **Name: Won Changyoung**

 **Nickname: ChangChang, Changyoungie**

 **Age: 13**

 **Nationality: Korean**

 **Height: 172 cm (5'8")**

 **Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)**

Chapter 7: Lie

Practice started straight away. Every morning, they all went to dance practice to be taught by the instructor. The instructor was admittedly a good one, but as harsh as could be. Changyoung supposed he had to be that way. He started off the first session with an intimidating speech that Changyoung wished he didn't have to hear again. He had the boys weighed in front of each other, so everyone knew how much the other weighed.

Changyoung looked at the numbers on the scale with drooping eyes as the choreographer wrote them down. "Won Changyoung, for 177 centimeters, you're 64 kilograms. That makes you and everyone but Kwangju that need to lose weight. If you can't manage to lose the weight, you won't have the looks of an idol and won't make it through."

"Yes, sir. I'll work hard."

And he did. Half of the day was spent with dance, the other half with rap. At the end of the day, he was left with four hours to eat and sleep. Not that there was anything to eat, so that first day, the trainees got no food and little sleep.

The following days were hardly any better. The producers made the kids delete their social media accounts and hand in their phones. They were all told to wear masks when traveling between the dorm and the studio. The only time the boys got to bond was in training, but Changyoung did steadily find himself hanging around them more instead of by himself. He couldn't say he learned a single fact about anybody, but he did end up encouraging some others more and more. Jungkook, on the other, only drifted further away, and Changyoung did nothing to bring him back.

It was the second day when the boys finally got access to food. Steven gave them specific meals tailored to them at the beginning and end of the day that they got to eat on the studio floor. Changyoung noticed he wasn't the only one to not be given food that first morning, and at night, he only received a sweet potato.

With strict management like this, his weight dropped quickly. He noticed too how Jungkook looked less muscular than usual. Even Kwangju, who had started off skinny and didn't need to lose weight, was looking thinner. Not a single boy received more than two pieces of food a day.

It was the third week there when someone decided he'd had enough. The boys in the rapper room woke up to an empty bed. Namjoon was the first to notice. In his tired state, he woke the others. "Hey, guys, where's Donghyuk-hyung?" he asked.

Rubbing at his eyes, Changyoung climbed out of bed to find that there was no Donghyuk in bed. They checked the other rooms, waking the vocalists as well, but no luck.

"It's not like he could've gone to the studio," Hyosang said. "There's CCTV outside the dorm. Someone would've noticed."

"Maybe he ran away," Heonkyun suggested. Kwangju frowned, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Namjoon instantly turned to him. "Hey, hyung would never do that. He's been here for so long he wouldn't quit before first evaluation. Watch what you say."

Hoseok walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, we can't do anything about it anyway until Steven-hyung gets here. We can ask him."

Everyone else nodded their agreement. "So let's all go and get ready like normal," Seokjin said. "It's morning anyway."

Again they all agreed and took turns in the one bathroom to shower and use the restroom. It was a little before five a.m. when they were all done, so they only had to wait a few minutes before Steven arrived.

Namjoon was quick to go up to him. "Hyung, where's Hyuk-hyung?" he asked quickly.

Steven ignored him. "Everyone, to the van. We'll be meeting with Bang PD-nim first."

It was a silent ride filled with leg tapping, knuckle cracking, and staring. When they reached the studios, they went up to an office and sat down at a long table where Bang was already waiting for them.

"I'm sure you've all noticed that Supreme Boi isn't with you," Bang said. His folded hands tightened. "Last night he informed the staffs that he no longer wished to participate in training. He told us why but asked not to repeat it to you. So early this morning, he left the dorm, and he will not be reuturning." He paused, letting his hands loosen, as he looked at a note on his desk. "He did ask to tell you something. He said, 'Tell them not to follow in my footsteps if it wasn't their dream from the start. Those boys have a goal, and I shouldn't be the one to change that.'"

The room was quiet. All twitching and fidgeting stopped. Every trainee hung his head, eyes closed or focused on the glass table in front of him. Changyoung swore he wouldn't cry, and he didn't. But he'd be damned if Namjoon were to say he didn't cry. Bang and Steven left the room so the boys could be alone. Hoseok, Seokjin, and Kwangju went straight over to Namjoon, hugging him and saying it'd be all right.

Frankly, Changyoung wasn't so sure they were right, and he thought they knew it too. Every trainee knew at this point it was a blatant lie that everything was going to be okay, and only some of them were content with living that lie.

When they got home at the end of the day, Namjoon was first to notice that Donghyuk's things were all gone.


End file.
